13 Facts About Francis Coleman

Francis Coleman was a conductor and television producer and director.

Francis Coleman continued his musical education at McGill University, the Conservatoire de musique et d'art dramatique du Quebec and then the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, before conducting under Pierre Monteux.

Francis Coleman conducted a range of ensembles, including the Royal Canadian Air Force band, and was appointed the first musical director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Francis Coleman conducted concerts broadcast for CBC Radio, and it was this which attracted him to work on CBFT, the first television station in Canada, when it launched in September 1952.

Francis Coleman initially worked on the bilingual news programme, and had produced more than 500 shows by 1958, including coverage of Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom's coronation.

Francis Coleman was invited to work at Granada Television in England by Sidney Bernstein.

Francis Coleman produced a variety of programmes, including Spot the Tune, Shadow Squad and Chelsea at Nine.

Francis Coleman soon moved to London where he worked for ATV, for whom he directed twenty-six schools programmes entitled Ici la France.

In 1964, Francis Coleman was appointed Senior Producer, Music and Arts at the newly launched BBC 2.

Francis Coleman recorded II Trovatore in Rome which was shown as live, an original idea at the time, and later applied the same treatment to Monteverdi's Vespers from Venice.

Francis Coleman moved to become Head of Religious, Children's and Education Programmes at London Weekend Television in 1968, during which time he won the first Japan Prize for education.

Francis Coleman produced the Saint Nicholas Cantata by Benjamin Britten, for which he won the UK's first Prix Italia.

Francis Coleman then moved into lecturing, both at the London International Film School and at City University.